Augusta Richmond County Court records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: ARCHS -211

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection is comprised of ledgers and dockets from all levels of the Augusta and Richmond County courts between 1792-1925. The ledgers and dockets document court cases, meeting minutes from the Mayor's Court, financial and legal issues, and general court operations.

Dates

Created: 1792-1884
Majority of material found in 1800-1874
Acquired: 1978

Conditions Governing Access

No current restrictions. Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Augusta Richmond County Historical Society is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research purposes only. Materials within the collection are subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. The Augusta Richmond County Historical Society may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

The Augusta-Richmond County court system was established on January 23, 1780, when the Georgia Legislature authorized its first courthouse. It began archiving foundational records in 1782 and expanded in 1881 with the creation of the State Court to handle rising civil and misdemeanor cases. The judiciary took its modern shape in 1996 when Augusta and Richmond County consolidated, streamlining all municipal and county court administrations into a single unified system.

Extent

24 items (24 ledgers )

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

Collection of dockets and ledgers documenting Augusta and Richmond County court operations bewtween 1792-1925.

Arrangement

This collection is primarily arranged alphabetically and by ledger/docket type, then chronologically.

Custodial History

Processed by Aaron Hayes & Gillian Braiman, 2026-09.

Custodial History

These Augusta/Richmond County court records were consolidated from multiple decommissioned collections by Special Collections & Institutional Archives and the Augusta Richmond County Historical Society to improve searchability and usage.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Originally transferred from the Augusta Museum of History throughout 1978.

Appraisal

Every ledger and docket in this collection was originally managed as a separate, independent collection. Because these smaller groups lacked sufficient searchability, they were reprocessed and consolidated into a single, unified body of Augusta and Richmond County court records. Special Collections & Institutional Archives and the Augusta Richmond County Historical Society merged these materials to improve discoverability and increase research usage, as the records document the local court system during overlapping time periods and share a history of lacking formal donation or transfer paperwork. While the materials now form a single cohesive resource, all original accession numbers remain completely intact, and all related documentation is stored together under ARCHS 211. For more information, please contact the Archives at archives@augusta.edu.